


The Colour of Fire

by Peryton



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, The Hunger Games (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-15
Updated: 2016-05-15
Packaged: 2018-06-08 14:54:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6859612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Peryton/pseuds/Peryton
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Soulmate AU where people see the world in black and white until they look into the eyes of their soulmate.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Colour of Fire

**Author's Note:**

  * For [BlueLgihtening](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueLgihtening/gifts).



> This isn’t connected to my other soulmate Hunger Games fic other than BlueLgihtening commented on that saying this would be fun and I agreed and couldn’t help but write this short fic.  
> Thanks to BlueLghitening for this idea, this probably isn’t exactly what you had in mind, but was what fell out when I started writing.

Katniss was on the train headed to the Capitol once more, the scenery sped past in a blur of colourless monotony, even without the monochrome vision everyone was born with until they looked into the eyes of their soulmate Katniss didn’t think she would have felt anything but bitterness to be headed back towards the Capitol.

At least when Katniss had been out here the first time, for the 74th Hunger Games, she had had the hope that maybe she would meet my soulmate out there -and then be killed in the Arena because she wasn’t that much of an idiot to believe someone from Twelve actually had a chance in the Games.

But neither of those things had happened Katniss mused to herself, and now she had been reaped yet again and was heading back to the Games for the third quarter quell along with Peeta. Katniss sighed and looked over to her ally in the last Games, they had played at being the star-crossed lovers during the previous Games but they couldn’t fake having seen the colours that marked genuine soulmates. Katniss knew that most of the Capitol patronisingly thought it was cute, not many people in the Districts had the opportunity to meet their soulmates since travelling wasn’t exactly permitted, or easy, so as well as surviving the Games they delighted in the fact that she and Peeta had ‘found love’ even though it wasn’t with their soulmates. Just another way the Capitol thought her and Peeta were adorable Katniss thought wryly. Katniss sighed again and Effie glared at her.

“As the most recent Victors you will likely be on the top of everyone’s list for all the best parties. You two should relax and enjoy your time in the Capitol, you’ve earned it.” Effie said cheerfully.

“What did you say?” Katniss said disbelievingly, it still amazed Katniss Effie could say these things without a hint of sarcasm.

“Katniss…” Peeta warned.

“I said enjoy it Katniss, you’ve earned it.” Effie sighed out.

“By killing people.” Katniss said bluntly, receiving nothing except a blank look from Effie.

Katniss got up abruptly and moved into a different carriage, she couldn’t deal with any more of Effie’s fake cheeriness. They had spent weeks together after the Games touring the other Districts, and now Effie was acting like she was fine with her and Peeta having to go back into the Arena? Or maybe she was fine with it all, she was from the Capitol after all, Effie had never had to face a reaping or being picked to fight for the enjoyment of others. Once inside the other carriage Katniss slumped down onto the plush sofas lining the wall and stared out of the window trying to discern the differences in the shades of grey speeding past the train.

The door to the carriage opened and Katniss cursed internally, she had thought Haymitch would understand her feelings right now, he was close to having been sent back into the Arena himself after all.

“I’m not in the mood for a lecture, I’ll apologise to Effie later.” Katniss said dully before looking up at the person intruding on her solitude. “Oh… sorry, I thought you were Haymitch.”

“You don’t have to apologise to anyone, including me. No one expected this to happen… it sucks for us all, and I know we’ve been to the Capitol already, it doesn’t have the same mystery that it held before we came for the last Games.” Peeta said earnestly. “But maybe Effie is right; we should enjoy this as much as we can.”

“It’s probably more enjoyable for people who aren’t going into the Arena for the second time.” Katniss said dryly.

“I know it’s not fair to hold you to anything you said in the Games, you saved my life after all. But I can’t keep acting like we’re in love for the cameras and then ignoring each other in real life. So if you can stop looking at me like I’m wounded I can stop acting like it then maybe we have a shot at being friends.”

Katniss had realised during the tour of the Districts that Peeta’s declaration of love hadn’t been contrived for the Games. Peeta had told her he hoped they could make it work, settle down like the numerous other couples in Twelve that had happy enough lives without ever knowing their soulmates, but Katniss hadn’t seen the point. Especially not now. The two of them had to keep up pretences so as to not anger Snow who had threatened Katniss’s family if anyone believed her stunt with the berries during the 74th Games had been an act of rebellion and not just the act of two tributes that were madly in love and didn’t think they could live without the other.

It was that deal that had led Katniss to suggest Peeta and she get married, but when Snow reaped the tributes for the 75th Hunger Games from the pool of Victors the wedding was mercifully postponed and in Katniss’s mind the deal between Snow and her to be allies was broken. After all Katniss was the only female victor in Twelve, it was obvious what Snow intended to happen. But Snow still had all the power, if he wanted to hurt Katniss’s family he could, the display with the Peacekeepers burning the black market in Twelve and arresting the people who worked there was proof of that.

“I’ve never been very good at friends.” Was all Katniss said after the silence had stretched for too long between her and Peeta.

“It does help if you know the person; I hardly know anything about you except you’re stubborn and good with a bow.”

“That about sums me up.”

“There must be more to you than that, see the way the whole friend thing works is you have to tell each other the really deep stuff. I figure since we’ve already been fighting for our lives alongside one another we’re a few steps ahead of most friendships.”

“So since we already have such a strong foundation what do you need to know about me for us to become even better friends?” Katniss asked impassively.

“Do you ever worry that you’ll never meet your soulmate? I mean, they aren’t in Twelve, and there are eleven other Districts that we only saw briefly on our tour. And we’ve been to the Capitol but it’s not like we had the chance to make eye contact with everyone there.”

“Going straight to the really deep stuff I see.”

“Well I already know you well enough to know you’re attempting to evade the question.”

Katniss sighed and grudgingly answered Peeta’s question. “After being reaped and going into the Arena I’ve had a few other more pressing worries than that of soulmates.”

Peeta looked at Katniss his eyes hopeful and Katniss cursed her biting remark that she wasn’t even sure she meant, Katniss thought she had been clear with Peeta about what was between them when their Games ended but proposing marriage had probably been at fault for blurring the lines between the two of them again.

“Most of the other Victors haven’t found their soulmates.” Peeta said drawing Katniss from her thoughts.

“How do you know that?”

“Everyone knows that. It’s weird though isn’t it? They have the means to travel now, and the time, yet they haven’t found their other half. Makes you wonder if it’s unrealistic to even bother holding out for them.”

“Maybe they don’t want to find them.” Katniss said mostly to herself.

“Why wouldn’t they?”

“Maybe they don’t think they deserve them after what they did to become Victors.”

* * *

The train from Twelve soon arrived in the Capitol and Katniss and the others were shown to the brand new housing the Game makers had constructed for all the Victors, they were sitting in the lounge area watching the projector screens showing everyone who had been reaped for the 75th Hunger Games when Peeta cut through the thick silence.

“This Games will be easier surely, we have experience now, we know what we’re up against.”

“Unfortunately everyone else knows that too.” Katniss said glumly.

“Katniss is right; forget everything you think you know about the Games, last year was child’s play this year you’re going up against killers. Everyone saw what you did out there last year, they know your strengths and weaknesses. But you know the old Victors’ tricks too, and while they have experience, and some of them have been keeping up training a lot of them haven’t. A lot of them have some sort of substance abuse, or have age or injuries slowing them down.” Haymitch said gesturing at the Morphlings from Six as he made his last point.

Katniss looked at Haymitch waiting for him to realise what he had just said and comment on it but instead he busied himself with filling up his hipflask from the numerous bottles of spirits available.  

“So what’s the plan?” Peeta asked.

“Allies.” Haymitch said decisively.

“No.” Katniss responded just as resolutely.

“You’re going to need them Katniss, these people have known each other for years, if you don’t ally yourself with any of them you’re going to be the first targeted.”

Katniss still wasn’t convinced on the idea of allies, she didn’t like the idea of putting the safety of Peeta and herself in the hands of strangers, and she didn’t want to be responsible for the deaths of any more friends. She had already had to see Rue die, and watch as Cato was torn apart by the muttations at the cornucopia. Katniss had no desire to ever watch anyone she cared about being hurt or injured again, and while she had Peeta to watch out for in the Games, the boy who she cared for even though she could never love him Katniss didn’t want to grow to care about anyone else just to watch them die.

But at least she had a distraction from thinking about the Games now; Cinna had arrived and was busy getting her and Peeta ready for the parade.

Katniss and Peeta were once again wearing costumes that would burst into flames, it had worked well last year drawing attention to the last tributes to join the parade, the often forgotten Twelfth district that hadn’t had a victor in years. But this year everyone else was well known and popular Katniss wasn’t sure if the attention from the Capitol public and the other Victors was a good thing or not. Finnick had already approached her and spent an awkward few minutes either trying to flirt, befriend or intimidate her, Katniss wasn’t sure which. Yet more examples of why allies and friends were something to be avoided, Katniss didn’t want to face any more stuck up Victors who thought they had to prove something to her.

Eventually the parade was over and Katniss and Peeta met up with Haymitch and started back towards their living quarters, once inside the building the three of them entered the elevator to take them up to district Twelve’s living space.

When Johanna Mason, the Victor from Seven pushed into the elevator just as the doors were about to close.

“You guys look amazing.” Johanna said glancing over Katniss and Peeta’s outfits.

“Thank you.” Katniss replied, stunned by the Victor from Seven’s entrance, Katniss couldn’t take her eyes from the older Victor but she put it down to being taken aback at her confident entrance.

“My stylist is such an idiot. District Seven. Lumber. Trees. Ugh. I’d love to put my axe in her face.” Johanna said tossing her necklace and bracelets onto the floor. “So what do you think, now that the whole world wants to sleep with you?”

“I don’t think the whole world-”

“I wasn’t talking to you.” Johanna says glancing at Katniss before turning around, showing her back to Peeta and coyly looking at him over her shoulder. “Unzip?”

“Yeah.” Peeta replied quickly, eager to help the Victor.

Katniss glared at the woman from Seven, Haymitch and Peeta didn’t seem at all bothered by this turn of events. Katniss rolled her eyes, that was typical of Haymitch and she shouldn’t expect Peeta to ignore the request of an attractive woman, no matter how shameless she may be.

Katniss allows herself a minute of confusion as to why she has suddenly decided Johanna is attractive when she had never had thoughts about that before, but anyone stripping down in front of her was bound to illicit some sort of reaction Katniss reasoned before quickly becoming distracted from her thoughts by the promise of Johanna revealing her naked form.

Peeta unzips Johanna’s outfit and Johanna turns back around, Haymitch is happily watching the show, Peeta doesn’t know where to look and when Katniss meets Johanna’s gaze her carefully designed ‘unimpressed’ expression is lost when a spectrum of colours bleed over from the dark brown of Johanna’s eyes into the world around her, she knows her expression must mirror her own shock and confusion of what just happened to her.

Johanna slowly turned and stared at Katniss challengingly; giving Katniss no indication that anything had changed for the Victor from Seven. While Katniss was still struggling to take in the sudden explosion of colour to her vision and who was suddenly very conscious of Johanna’s dress slipping from her body and pooling at her feet to say or do anything.

“Thanks let’s do it again sometime.” Johanna said, turning her head over her shoulder before moving through the elevator doors as they opened onto her floor.

“Thank _you_.” Haymitch replied his eyes glued to the Victor from Seven as she strutted through the room beyond the elevator.

Katniss knew she still must look completely shocked, she still didn’t have control over her expression and couldn’t find the ability to form any words while the only thing going round in her brain was that Johanna Mason was her soulmate. Katniss didn’t know what she was meant to do; she was frozen to the spot still gaping at what had just happened.

“Johanna Mason District Seven.” Haymitch said as Johanna’s completely naked body was almost lost from their sight as the elevator doors started to close.

“You all right there Katniss?” Peeta asked concerned.

Katniss stood still gazing at where Johanna had been as the elevator door shut on Johanna’s floor, obscuring her vision of the elder Victor. Katniss looked around noticing the rest of the room for the first time since Katniss had met Johanna’s eyes and struggled to take in the huge change seeing colour had made.

“I… yeah. I just remembered I have to see somewhere, go something, I mean do someone,” Katniss rambled, finally regaining the ability to speak as she hurried to press the button to reopen the elevator doors.

“That’s not our floor Katniss.” Peeta called as Katniss rushed out onto the floor housing the tributes from Seven.

Katniss ignored Peeta and Haymitch’s calls as she moved purposefully through the rooms, it was set out similar to the floor everyone from Twelve was on, but that didn’t help her in finding-

“Took you long enough, I wondered if I was losing my touch.”

A voice from behind Katniss brought her focus snapping back from her quest to find Johanna, as Katniss turned in the dimly lit room to see Johanna standing there, still completely naked.

Johanna slinked forwards, her gaze focused on Katniss’s as she slowly advanced until her body was pressed against the younger Victor’s. Katniss’s breath caught and she couldn’t look away from the Johanna’s eyes, becoming lost in the two pools of warm brown darkening beyond what she thought was possible.

Johanna watched Katniss carefully for what felt like an eternity, Johanna was still pressed against the younger Victor, close enough to feel every shuddered breath leaving Katniss’s body, before slowly brushing her lips teasingly across Katniss’s. Katniss gasped and returned the kiss eagerly, bringing her mouth back to Johanna’s and moaning as the kiss increased in passion. Katniss’s hands snaked around Johanna’s waist, holding the older Victor closer to her while Johanna held on to Katniss’s neck, almost forcefully keeping their mouths pressed together.

The two Victors broke apart, both struggling to control their breathing when Katniss laughed suddenly, Johanna stared at her in confusion, frowning at the Victor from Twelve.

“I just realised how ridiculous this all is.”

“What?” Johanna asked offended, her frown turning into a glare as she stared at Katniss who was still laughing.

“Two Victors find out they’re soulmates, now headed back in to the Arena.”

“Well you have experience with being in the Arena with someone who cares about don’t you.” Johanna responded irritably. “Should I sharpen my axe and await the arrival of your cuckolded fiancé? Or does his role in your pretend relationship not stretch to fighting for you, just waiting for you to save him?”

“You care about me?”

Johanna rolled her eyes at that. “Shut up. No. But bread boy had better learn boundaries unless he wants a close up introduction to my axes.”

Katniss tried her best to hide her grin behind an unimpressed eye roll but she didn’t think she had managed to regain control of herself around Johanna since the elevator.

“If mine and Peeta’s relationship was real would that have stopped you?”

“No.” Johanna said casually, her hand slipping back onto Katniss’s body, caressing the younger Victor’s hip.

“It’s lucky everyone seems to know my secrets.” Katniss huffed, unsure whether she was annoyed or not that Johanna wouldn’t have let anything stop her. “So what now?”

“Now we both work on getting out of that Arena alive.” Johanna said determinedly.

“I don’t think they’ll fall for the berries trick again.” Katniss said relaxing into Johanna.

“Oh, there’s a different plan in mind that won’t require you threatening suicide.” Johanna’s grip on Katniss’s hip increased subtly and the glint in Johanna’s eye made desire pool low in Katniss’s body, immeasurably glad that she was able to see colours and could see the spark in her soulmate’s eyes.

**Author's Note:**

> Ends a little abruptly maybe… but it was always intended to be a short fic, anyways hope you enjoyed.
> 
> Unbeta'd so if anyone spots any mistakes let me know.


End file.
